The Surrey Board of Trade released the results of its 5th Annual Surrey Road Survey.
“We need planning and action that anticipates needs and that results in infrastructure construction well in advance of increased demand, not long after the capacity is exceeded,” said Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade.
Patterns are beginning to emerge with four years of comparable data. Surrey’s network of over 4,500 lane kilometres of road is seeing an increasing number of commuter and commercial users.
In conclusion, the Surrey Board of Trade’s survey resulted in the following general conclusions:
1. Widening of on-and-off ramps of bridges is needed;
2. Planning of all major infrastructure projects must anticipate needs and result in infrastructure construction well in advance of increased demand, not long after the capacity is exceeded; and,
3. That all levels of government must work together to develop a comprehensive transit/transportation plan for the South Fraser region; one that would not be subject to political interference but based on best transportation practice.
Survey Highlights:
The daily commute
57.4% Respondents live and work in Surrey – this has increased compared with previous years
21.8% work in Surrey but live South of the Fraser or Metro Vancouver, down from 2016
83.5% drove their own vehicle to work – down from 2019 (92.9%) and 2017 (92.6%) 2016 (87.1%), but up from 2018 (81.3%)
4.4% walked to work, up from 1.8% in 2019, 0.9% in 2017, and 2% in 2016 but down from 6.6% in 2018
Traveling for business
20% drive 4 or more days a week for work, down from all previous years
25.2% drive 2-3 days per week, higher than 2019 but lower than 2016, 2017, and 2018
20% rarely drive, a significant increase from previous surveys
These results are likely due to remote work capabilities stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic
Travel destinations
22.6% travel within Surrey, an increasing trend since 2018
51.3% travel throughout South Fraser (Surrey plus options combined), comparable to 2019
83.5% travel throughout Metro Vancouver (combining multiple options)
Employee travel
45.7% Respondents estimate that 0-20% of their colleagues travel for business, up by 5% from previous years
52.2% of colleagues travel 1 to 2 hours per day on average, up from 49% in 2016 but down from 60% in 2018
Barriers to choosing alternative modes of transportation
36.5% indicated that there are no barriers to choosing different options
50.4% indicated that there is a barrier
Traffic congestion impact on business operations
25.7% indicated there was a limited impact to business operations
50.5% indicated traffic congestion somewhat impacted business operations
23.8% indicated traffic congestion had a significant impact business operations
Three key strategies for managing traffic congestion
Improving efficiency ranked highest as a method to managing traffic congestion
Increasing capacity came in second
Managing traffic demand was the least popular selection
Top 3 corridors requiring attention
63.2% chose arterial widening to 4 lanes on Fraser Highway between Whalley Boulevard and 148 Street, including through Green Timbers Park
52.9% want 152 Street widened to 4 lanes between 40 Avenue to 50 Avenue
51.7% want to widen 64 Avenue to 5 lanes between 176 Street and Fraser Highway
Top choice for road connections
68.2% prioritized a new construction on Whalley Boulevard connecting Fraser Highway to 96 Avenue
Top 3 intersections requiring improvement
74.7% indicated 64 Avenue and 168 Street
73.5% indicated 104 Avenue and 156 Street
71.1% indicated Fraser Highway and 184 Street
Transit needed
79.3% of Respondents stated that we should have and definitely need rapid transit on Fraser Highway (City Centre to Langley)
67.8% of Respondents determined that we should have and definitely need rapid transit between Guildford, City Centre and Newton on King George Boulevard and 104 Avenue
66.7% believe that we should have and definitely need a new B-Line bus service to South Surrey/White Rock
Curbside bus pull-outs
66.7% believe that curbside pull-outs for buses are very important and extremely important
83.9% believe that curbside pull-outs for buses would be effective in reducing congestion along major arterial roadways
Safety first
96.6% planners should use data and best practice to determine the areas where road improvements should be made
96.6% stated that they either agree or strongly agree that we all need to do our part to keep our most vulnerable road users safe
96.6% stated that they either agree or strongly agree that it is a shared responsibility between users and designers/maintenance
50.6% stated that reducing speed would not reduce collisions in Surrey
Ridesharing
63.5% want ridesharing services without pickup location restrictions
Bike sharing
46.5% of Respondents would be very unlikely to cycle to work if Surrey had bike sharing, down from 2019 (59.7%)
14.9% of Respondents would be very likely to somewhat likely to use bike sharing, up from 2019 (12.3%)
Bridges wanted
74.7% want the Pattullo Bridge to have 6 lanes available on opening day
56.3% want a bridge (whether as originally planned or with fewer lanes) to replace Massey Tunnel; only 18.4% would support expanding the tunnel with another tube and upgrades
“The Surrey Board of Trade believes that transportation is one of the key economic foundations of building our city. The Surrey Board of Trade advocates in support of transportation infrastructure improvements for the safe and efficient movement of people and commercial traffic throughout Surrey. To do this, we need to continually assess areas in Surrey that may be impediments for our businesses and industry.”
SNAPSHOT OF OTHER COMMENTS RECEIVED
1. Add on/off ramps at 152 Street, 24 Avenue and 20 Avenue to stop the congestion on the few access ramps existing.
2. Improve arterial roadways and side street issues will inherently reduce. Frustration drives excess speed in many cases.
3. The new bridge will likely stand for around 50 years. Plan for the next 50 years.
4. The survey does not mention the Interurban Line, which has been overlooked. In order to gauge the effectiveness of transportation and to get a clear picture of the needs, all options must be included in the survey.
5. Make transit the #1 priority for the crossing, ahead of the car traffic priority.
6. Increase investments for more sidewalks, bus pull-outs, especially on 104 Avenue and curb ramps.
7. There is a lack of Transit/LRT running north/south in Surrey.
8. Widen 148 Street between 108 Avenue and 84 Avenue.
9. Transit service is poor, with limited hours of service, and a lack of sidewalks.
10. Repave existing roads.
11. Extend 166 Street north of Fraser Highway.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: https://businessinsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Executive-summary-2021-1.pdf
FULL REPORT: https://businessinsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Road-Survey-Rpt-FINAL.pdf
